Score-counter.



A, G. E. LowMAN. y

SCORE COUNTER.

APPUCATlON FILED FEB. 12.19l8.

1,289,838. lPatented 1160.311918,

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ADONIS GEORGE EDWARD LOWMAN, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

scorta-COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. 31, 1918.

Application led February 12, 1918. Serial No. 216,796.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ADoNIs GEORGE ED- WARD LowMAN, of the city of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Score-Counters, of which the following is the specification.

The invention relates to improvements in score counters and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device which can be utilized for keeping the count or score of a great variety of card games.

A further object of the invention is to construct the score counter so thatV it can be utilized as a case to hold a pack of cards and arranged so that the case with contained cards gives the appearance of a closed book.

A still further object of the invention' is to construct the score counter so that it can be manufactured at small cost without affecting its efficiency for score keeping puroses.

W'ith the above objects in view the invention consists essentially in a score counter arranged as hereinafter more particularly described and later pointed out 1n the appended claims,'reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 represents the score counter as it appears when closed around a deck of cards.

Fig. 2 represents the score counter as it appears when opened up or lying flat.

Fig. 3 represents the score counter as it appears when in use.

Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal sectional view through the counter.

Fig. 5 representsA a cross sectional view through the counter.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several ligures.

The appliance is constructed forV thel greater part from a pliable material such as leather and comprises a substantially rectangular body or backing piece 1 to which I secure inner end facing pieces 2 and 3 and a central inner facing piece 4. The central facing piece is comparatively narrow and passes across the backing piece, being secured to it by sewing in three places as indicated at 5, 6 and 7. Between the seams thus formed I provide pockets 8 and 9 which receive slidably score strips later described.

The strips 2 and 3 are each sewn to the backing piece by six distinct equi-spaced All of the score strips are constructed Y from a more or less stiff material such as celluloid and they are designed in respect to the pockets such that when manipulated by the fingers they will vslide in and outV readily but otherwise, such that when left in set position they will retain the position owing to the frictional contact between the strips and the interior walls of the pockets. The end of each strip is formed with a finger piece 28 which, in the present instance, is in the nature of a coil formed by rolling the outer end of each celluloid strip backwardly on itself as best shown in Fig. 4. The strips are considered in the fully in or no score position when the coilsengage he outer ends of the pockets as shown in ig. 2. v

The end strips or those 27 are all marked 0n the upper faces with the numbers 0, 1,l

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 appearing in arithmetical progression and reading outwardly from the inner ends of the strips to the outer or coiled ends.

The side strips, or those 23, 24, 25 and.,

26, are all marked on the upper faces with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 which read inwardly in arithmetical progression from the coiled ends of the stripsto the inner ends.

In order to adapt the score counter for keeping the score for such specialv games as bridge whist and five hundred I make a division between the pockets such as by drawing a heavy line at the seams 12, which line I call the bridge line and on the cross piece 4 I print the words rubbers and games, the count of the rubbers being kept by the score strips 23 and 26, while the count of the games is kept by the score strips 24 and 25.

On the inner face of the counter I draw two special circles 29 and 30 which are utilized ln the game of live hundred to indicate lwhen the score is a negative one or as `counter over the deck of cards.

customarily called in the hole. Such is the condition when a coin or other article is placed in the circle.

The counter as shown is specially adapted for two players, each of which keeps his count by manipulating the strips. For ordinary games, where only a straight count is kept, all the end strips 27 are used, one preferably starting at the right and keeping track of his score by adding up and pulling out the strips as the score increases. As an example the score of points 15716 is indicated at one end of the counter, while thescore 14824 is indicated at the other end of the counter.

The number of games played can be indicated by pulling out the side strips as will be readily understood.

To utilize the scorer for keeping the score in bridge whist7 the strips in the pockets 19 and 2O are utilized for keeping ,the points score while those in the pockets 16, 17 and 18 are utilized for keeping the honors score. The games and rubbers won are indicated by pulling out the strips 23, 24, 25 and 26. As an example, in Fig. 3 one party has a score of 16"points, 157 honors, 1 game and 2 rubbers,

Vwhile the otherl party has a score of 24 inexpensive .and simple device for `keeping scores.

4When not in use as a scorer the article can be Vused as a case or holdei1 for the deck of cards indicated at 31. The cross strip 4 is preferably chosen of a width approximately equal to the thickness of a pack of cards and the strips 2 and 3 are preferably chosen of a length approximately equal to the length of a pack of cards. Accordingly then, when one is through playing, he simply shoves in the score strips and closes the An elastic band 32 can, if desired, be placed around the scorer to hold the deck in place.

Vhat I claim as my invention .is

1. A score counter comprising a substan- Copies '6I this patent may be obtained for tially rectangular backing strip, substantially rectangular facing strips applied on the inner face of the backing strip and secured thereto by a plurality of parallel lengthwise extending seams providing intervening lengthwise extending pockets, a central facing strip applied on the inner face of the backing strip and interposed between the inner ends of the other facing Vstrips and secured to the backing strip by parallel cross seams forming intervening crosswise extending pockets and score strips mounted for in and out movement within all the pockets and provided at the outer ends with strips and secured to the backing strip by parallel cross seams forming intervening crosswise .extending pockets, similar score strips mounted for in and out movement within the lengthwise extending pockets and provided at the outer ends with finger pieces and having the numbers 0, l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 arranged thereon in arithmetical progression with the larger numbers toward the outer ends of the strips and score strips mounted for in and out movement in the crosswise extending pockets and 'fitted at their outer ends with finger pieces and having the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 arranged thereon in arithmetical progression and with ,the smaller numbers toward the outer ends of the latter strips.

Signed at Winnipeg, this 10th day of November 1917.

ADONIs GEORGE EDWARD LOWMAN. In the presence of- GERALD S. ROXBURGH, K. B. WAKEFIELD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents..

Washington, D. G. 

